Tyson Poultry Pleads Guilty to Clean Water Act Violations in Connection with Discharge of Acidic Fee
Source: Department of Justice, Justice News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Tyson Poultry Pleads Guilty to Clean Water Act Violations in Connection with Discharge of Acidic Feed Supplement
Tyson Poultry Inc. (Tyson), pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield, Missouri, to two criminal charges of violating the Clean Water Act stemming from discharges at its slaughter and processing facility in Monett, Missouri.
Tyson, the nations largest chicken producer, is headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas. Tyson is a subsidiary of Tyson Foods Inc., which owns and operates multiple companies in the food supply and food service industry. The charges to which Tyson pleaded guilty arose out of a spill after the company mixed ingredients in its chicken feed at its feed mill in Aurora, Missouri.
One ingredient in Tysons feed was a liquid food supplement called Alimet, which has a pH of less than one. According to the plea agreement filed in federal court, in May 2014, the tank used to store Alimet at the Aurora feed mill sprang a leak, and the acidic substance flowed into a secondary containment area. Tyson hired a contractor to remove the Alimet and transport it to Tysons Monett plant, where the Alimet was unloaded into the in-house treatment system that was not designed to treat waste with Alimets characteristics. Some of the Alimet made it into the City of Monetts municipal waste water treatment plant, where it killed bacteria used to reduce ammonia in discharges from the treatment plant into Clear Creek, and resulting in the death of approximately 108,000 fish.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Tyson will pay a $2 million criminal fine and serve two years of probation. In addition, Tyson will pay $500,000 to maintain and restore waters in the Monett area, with a focus on Clear Creek and the adjoining waterways. Tyson will also implement environmental compliance programs including: hiring an independent, third-party auditor to examine all Tyson poultry facilities throughout the country to assess their compliance with the Clean Water Act and hazardous waste laws; conducting specialized environmental training at its poultry processing plants, hatcheries, feed mills, rendering plants, and waste water treatment plants; and implementing improved policies and procedures to address the circumstances that gave rise to these violations.
Our Division is hopeful that the outcome of this case will help deter future violations of the Clean Water Act and keep our water supply and marine life free from pollution, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Environment and Natural Resources Division. Todays agreement will remedy environmental harm caused by the defendants actions while also helping to ensure that these kinds of problems do not happen again.
Tysons admitted criminal conduct caused significant environmental damage, including a large-scale fish kill, said Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Larson of the Western District of Missouri. Todays plea agreement not only holds Tyson accountable for its actions in Missouri, but requires the company to take steps to insure compliance with the Clean Water Act at its poultry facilities throughout the United States.
Ensuring agricultural operations dispose of their waste in a lawful way is critical to protecting the health of local communities and clean water, said Larry Starfield, acting Assistant Administrator for EPAs Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. The plea agreement in this case will improve Tysons compliance with important clean water and hazardous waste laws and help prevent future violations.
Read more: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/tyson-poultry-pleads-guilty-clean-water-act-violations-connection-discharge-acidic-feed
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)peequod
(189 posts)When I see PETA (and others') videos showing drones fly over vast pools of urine/feces/blood associated with the food-industrial complex, I ask myself is this environmental sh*t-show legal in these localities, in the states?
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)encountered is what are Pork Silo's or Farrowing to Market Hog operations. The emissions from these manure ponds are deadly. Hydrogen Sulfide my friend.
peequod
(189 posts)Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)it would have a smell from hell. Most Midwest States refuse to tackle this issue. The Pork Producers and Feed Suppliers have captured most States EPA's and blocked any Rules Governing these Lagoons.